‘I’m incredibly grateful’: Patrick Mahomes selected as Chiefs nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Patrick Mahomes has won just about every individual award during his stellar career. And he is a finalist for one of the NFL’s most prestigious recognitions.

The Kansas City Chiefs announced Tuesday morning their starting quarterback has been named as the team’s nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.

“I’m incredibly grateful to be recognized as the Chiefs Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year,” Mahomes said in a statement. “I know how special this honor is and the history behind it here in Kansas City. Brittany and I take great pride in the platform we have to give back to a community that has given us so much over the last six years. Through the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation, we’ve been able to make an impact and support underserved children, but we still have a long way to go and we’re going to continue to provide resources to give these kids more and more opportunities. To be recognized for such a prestigious award means the world to me and I’m thankful to represent my foundation, Walter Payton and his family, the Hunt family, this team and all of Chiefs Kingdom on such a significant stage.”

The award recognizes a player’s work in the community, in addition to his character and performance on and off the field.

“We are honored to have Patrick Mahomes represent the Chiefs organization and the Kansas City community as our nominee for this year’s Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award,” Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. “This award is arguably the most prestigious honor the NFL has as it identifies greatness both on and off the field, and I believe Patrick embodies the true characteristics this award recognizes. Since joining the Chiefs in 2017, Patrick has continued to display an unwavering commitment to helping those in need. The work he does through the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation has impacted many in our community, and there really is no limit to what he can and will continue to do for Chiefs Kingdom and beyond.”

In 2019, Mahomes established the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation, which focuses on improving the lives of children with a continued focus on supporting health, wellness, and various communities in need of resources, the Chiefs stated.

The foundation has distributed nearly $2.75 million in grants.

Through partnerships with food banks, the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation has distributed more than 15,000 meals. Another area of focus for Mahomes and his foundation is combating illiteracy as more than 19,000 students have pledged to participate in the Read for 15 program, an initiative that saw a 12 percent increase in reading scores by participating schools last year. Likewise, supporting volunteerism amongst youth has also been an emphasis of the foundation. This year, more than 500 youth have pledged to the “Volunteer for 15″ program.

The 32 nominees (one from each NFL team) will receive a donation of up to $40,000 in their name to their charity of choice. The winner of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award will receive a $250,000 donation to the charity of his choice.

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